Props to you folks making mini survival kits in Altoid tins

CSG

CSG

Joined
Dec 15, 2007
Messages
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I bought a tin of these tonight to try my hand. While I finally managed to stuff it with:

SAK Classic
Couple square feet of hd foil
Full sized Bic
CountyComm $1 button light
10' 22 gauge steel wire
Spark-Lite sparker and four pieces of Tinder-quik
1' of heavy jute twin
1 small plastic bag
2 large safety pins
1 paper clip
$16 ($10, $5, and $1)
Wrapped with 10' of 550 (30' of mason's twin probably makes more sense).

No room for bandaids, alky wipes, water tablets, a condom, whistle, etc.

It makes me appreciate you guys who can put something together that may make a bit more sense. My answer is to get a bigger kit. My smallest one is a small 6x4x2" pouch with a Sierra cup lashed to the outside. It's an old pouch holster for a small pistol and needs to be clipped to your belt. But it has a LOT more stuff and a LOT more useful stuff (like a couple 45 gallon garbage bags, a Vic Farmer, Griptilian, firesteel, silk bandana). I think that's as small as I'd want to go on a day hike.

The mini kit makes me appreciate Doug Ritter's PSP all the more too. I've got a few of those in the glove boxes of the vehicles and am amazed at all the useful stuff packed into one (Fresnel lens, mirror, whistle).

What's in your tin?
 
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Ideally it's nice to fit gear into the smallest thing that you can find. That way it just slips in your pocket. But in all reality, if you really had to use a kit from an altoids tin, you would probably find out it lacks something that you need. There's just not enough room to call it "complete". It's certainly better than nothing though. You can get a few essentials in there.

In my opinion, a good complete kit with quality gear needs to be just a little bigger. I keep all mine in a round steel pot about 2" x 5". This lets me get just a little more gear and still is pretty small. It would fit in a large cargo pocket but would not be very comfortable in there.

It's still fun to see what kind of good stuff you can fit in an altoids tin though.
 
Mine is kind of a work in progress. Right now it holds: A Vic Farmer, a Photon Microlite II, an orange mini-Bic with an o ring to hold the valve shut, a Suunto liquid filled button compass, a small round metal whistle, about 2' of Gorilla Tape, 7 small strike anywhere matches, a small birthday candle, 6 tinder quick tabs, 3 cotton balls, and 3 butterfly closures. It is held shut by a narrow velcro buckle strap on the outside. Or else it would explode :eek: :D There is no room for anything else but I know it's missing a lot. Never the less it will be in my pocket tomorrow while I'm skiing in CO :p . Any ideas on what to remove and what to add?
 
I think where a kit like this would shine is if it were purpose driven. A fire kit, for instance. Like you, countryboy, I agree something bigger is better. It may not fit in my pocket but my small fanny pack with two 500 ml Lexan bottles or above referenced pouch with a belt clip makes more sense to me. Heck, you could shove more stuff into your pockets contained in baggies which would also make more sense.

But trying to make a little kit is fun. We did similar things using Band-Aid tins when I was a kid. Mostly fishing kits with "survival" items like a book of paper matches and cotton balls.

dttomcat, put that Farmer in your pocket and you'll have a lot more room. I'd use a mini-Bic if I could find one.
 
You can put a kit in a thimble :) so with that in mind,, is your kit ever big enough? It can become a backpack if thats what you want to carry.
 
Well, lose the Swiss Army Knife. Use a razor blade. Get rid of the Bic, they suck in bad times anyway. Get a BSA Hotspark and a piece of sawblade. That alone will make so much more room in there.

In my tin I have 6 Strike-Anywhere matches, 6 Wind/Waterproof matches with striker, 2 needles and spool of thread and also fishing line, 6 fish hooks, 6 splitshot sinkers, 3 swivels, BSA Hotspark with the handle removed, Scalpel blade, blade I took from a Leatherman PST, Gerber breastmilk bag, 1' X 2' piece of aluminum foil, Fresnel lens, piece of a golf pencil, 3 sheets of paper 2" X 3", tin whistle, 11" piece of airline tubing, compass, cotton balls throughout, Spark-Lite firestarter, 2 Lg safety pins, 2 Md safety pins, 2 Sm safety pins, 2' of Duct Tape. There may be more, I am going from memory and it is late. I have the tin sealed with electrical tape. I wrap the tin in duck-decoy thread that is similar but stronger than masons line and not that shiny waxy crap. I have been carrying this kit for about 5 years. I love it.
 
Purpose driven is probably right on. Assuming the altoids tin was the size limit, there would be different priorities on certain parts. For example, when I go out in the wilderness, I am almost always fishing. So fishing gear could be eliminated from my kit. I would add emergency fishing stuff if room permitted, but I could downsize that out.

If all I had was an altoids tin I would put priority on these items. Not in any particular order: fire, duct tape, wire, small knife, safety pins, maybe some bouillon cubes or tea packets and some fishing stuff. That would probably fill up the tin.

It would be nice to see others priorities based on their circumstances.
 
CSG- that's not a bad start at all! My first "minikit" was massive!!

A couple pointers/ideas for yours, ditch the full size Bic and go with a mini, I'm not sure what you have the tin foil for, but I would ditch that, replace the plastic bag with a Reynolds oven bag, what I do with these is fill it with 1 liter of water and mark with a sharpie, then two liters and mark. then I cut it down so it packs smaller.

from there you can see what else you have room for.
Mine: old pics though
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now something to keep in mind, these types of things are works in progress, this is the same kit from about 6 months ago:
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and I have replaced the condom and milk bag with a Reynolds oven bag, I have 9 micro pur tabs, an alchohol prep pad, about 5 or 6 more tinder quick tabs.

the key is to take it and train with it, go out and use the stuff you have to see what you need and don't, experiment and grow.

here's a great site that is one thing got me started in the PSK stuff: forum member Evolute's site
http://www.mikespinak.com/articles/Essays/e995mypsk.html
 
CSG, see if you can find a square 50 gram pipe tobacco tin from a tobacconist or pipe smoker in your area, they are about 5" x 3" x 1" high and slip into a cargo pocket nicely. Plus they have a rubber seal.
 
Nice swiss army knife. The executive. I have that knife in my PSK too. I think it's one of the best for kits. Just the right size. I don't know why that one isn't more popular.

Bushman- +1 on the tobacco tins. They can be had off of ebay also.
 
I live in the high desert so fishing is spotty unless you're near a reservoir or river. I love fishing but carry only the barest of gear in my regular packs. Nothing in this tin. I'll keep the Classic, it's a brilliant little knife, over a razor blade.

I did manage to stick a pencil stub and 4 cut down sheets of Post-It paper in there. Waterproof paper is better but I don't have any. I made 4 wraps of duct tape around the length (precluding messing with the kit much) which gives me a couple feet or more of tape) and re-wrapped with the paracord.

The duct tape and my ever present back pocket hankie would suffice as bandage material. I *should* have a condom and water purification tablet or two but I also never go off without a canteen or at least a bottle of water. If I can make a fire and have at least one of my folders (always have a mini-Grip), I should be able to gather water and boil it with rocks in some sort of fashioned container. At least that's what I'm telling myself! ;)
 
Thanks Grunt but I need to pick some up anyway. I should have some in all my bags.

To those who suggest a larger container, I understand. I wanted to see what I could fit in the classic Altoids tin. Considering the likelihood of ever having to rely on just that is so small that it's really more an exercise for fun.

I'm a high desert day hiker most of the time and stick to more temperate weather than we are currently having. When I go up into the hills near my house I won't see anyone all day, it's pretty isolated. However, it's accessible (for a quick rescue if I broke and ankle or something) and it's about impossible for me to get lost around here. I never go without water, cell phone, day pack, hat, hiking staff, belt knife, small firearm, cook kit (even my tiny High Sierra butt pack has a titanium cup, alcohol stove, fuel, and tea).

When we travel in the RV to different climes, I take my full day pack which has rain gear, better medical stuff, etc.

Like I say, this little project is for fun and I posted to compliment those of you who have put together such cool mini-kits. I think the one I did is good for local use.

BTW, the foil is for a possible fire wind break and signaling. I know it's not ideal but it can work as a signal mirror with the shiny side out. It takes very little space as it compresses so well.
 
CSG ... i recon there's an art in packing a kit. Sometimes I spend days trying to fit kit contents into my desired container, trying different combinations of contents to use the space as efficiently as possible, looking for equivalents that are smaller, unpacking components and re-packing into a smaller packet, using cling wrap a lot, using every void possible, using things like straws to pack components ...
When I work it out , often I think to myself if I ever empty the contents how will I ever remember how to put it all back so these days I include a diagram and list of contents inside the lid. Maybe uven add "use by" dates to the list. Hope this helps a little.
 
CSG,

What is that single paper clip for? ;)

Also, fishing equipment can be used for other animals...and has other, nastier, uses as well.
 
Well, Don, the paper clip is to hold the folding money in there. I'm not a savage, you know. ;)

Actually, it was on the counter so I threw it in there for no particular reason. I thought it made the kit more tactical... :D
 
CSG said:
Well, Don, the paper clip is to hold the folding money in there. I'm not a savage, you know. ;)

Actually, it was on the counter so I threw it in there for no particular reason. I thought it made the kit more tactical... :D
Click to expand...

Its only "tactical" if the clip is black. :cool: Prefered paper clip of high speed operators.;)

Great start man. Now through carryin and evaluation, you can refine it as needed.

One thing, a rare earth magnet is a great piece of kit. I have one in my tin, and it is a very accurate thing for basic orienteering. Advise you to ditch the sparklite in favor for a firesteel, better yet a firesteel blank w/ no handle to save even more space. Better firestarter IMO hands down. If you like the sparklite, take a look at te one Ranger Rick made on therangerdigest.com its made from a used up bic, and has storage in the bottom for tinderquicks or PJ cotton.

Good stuff!!
 
What's the jute twine for -fire tinder? You already have tinder for the sparker right?

2 types of firestarters is excessive for a 'barebones' kit.

I would add a needle and possibly even a curved needle (ever tried to stitch yourself with a straight needle in the outdoors?) You can use paracord filler or unravel clothing for thread.

Under that paracord, you should add some strips of duct tape -better than band-aids.

I'd try to fit a whistle in there if possible.
 
I was messing with jute as tinder and realized how well it worked. That's why that's in there. I've got firesteels in loops on my knife sheaths and a couple smaller ones on my keychains. The Spark-Lite works well if you use it correctly.

I think I mentioned I wrapped about four wraps around of duct tape along the length of the tin and then wrapped the 550 over that.

A needle and whistle are good ideas but there is absolutely no room for a whistle in there. A needle would be easy.

But like I've said, this was really more for fun as I never go hiking away from my vehicle without a better equipped belt pack at the minimum. I doubt I would carry this over Ritter's PSP which has pretty much all the requirements save for a water container and purification tablets.
 
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